RJ Diving

Specialties

RJ Diving Ventures is Miami’s premier dive operator and has been operating US Coast Guard inspected vessels from Miami Beach since 1984. We are currently the only certified dive vessel in Miami Beach and most experienced operator between Ft. Lauderdale and the Florida Keys. On our fast, new 46′ custom dive boat, Big Com-​Ocean, we can take you to see all the wrecks and reefs that Miami has to offer in comfort and style.

Miami has been named the «wreckreational» dive capital of the world. We have many diverse wrecks to dive in our immediate area. Our sites include large, deep wrecks, shallow wrecks, historic wrecksites and a natural reef system which extends into the Florida Keys. Many of the wrecks are in protected zones, such as the Key Biscayne Site, where spearfishing is prohibited. That means more big fish are there for you to see! The natural reefs run parallel to the coast and range from 20′- 80′ in depth.

History

Established in 1982.

RJ Diving Ventures was founded in 1982 by Robert J. Arnove (RJ). His first boat was a 28-​foot Allman 6-​passenger vessel called Prima Donna II. This vessel was operated from the Miami Marine Stadium on Key Biscayne. RJ replaced it with a larger vessel in 1984 and moved to Miami Beach Marina which had just opened with two piers completed, and old building serving as offices and dirt parking lots. The Starfish Enterprise was a 34-​foot crusader licensed to accommodate 18 passengers. As the heyday of SCUBA diving in Miami continued to escalate, RJ sold Starfish Enterprise and commissioned the building of a 40-​foot Burpee dive boat. This specially designed commercial dive vessel carried a USCG license for 30 divers and was christened Starfish Enterprise II. In 1989, RJ commissioned a 40′ Burpee christened Warp Factor I. With both burpees sold to the Keys, we now operate BIG COM-​OCEAN from Miami Beach Marina.

Meet the Business Owner

Mike B.

Business Owner

Mike grew up in Baltimore, MD and drove his motorcycle to Miami in 1994 to be PADI dive instructor 96 286. While earning a Master’s Degree from the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Mike helped establish the State of Florida’s 7^th underwater archaeological preserve, Half Moon, in 2000. Mike then split the next 4 years between Miami and Scotland at the University of St. Andrews working towards a PhD in maritime history and underwater archaeology. Mike began diving in 1983 and has been with RJ Diving Ventures since 1997. He has worked as a dive instructor and captain in the live aboard diving industry since 1994, mostly with Blackbeard’s Cruises (www​.black​beard​-cruises​.com) in the Bahamas where he still works when scheduling allows. Mike also loves blue water sailing and delivers private yachts and works at being a musician when he can (www​.cap​tain​mike​beach​.com). Capt. Mike holds a USCG Captain’s license.